This invention relates to mobile, multiuse, expandable rooms that can be mounted on a variety of vehicles or fixed foundations. More specifically, the invention relates to a unit having a plurality of independent expandable rooms which is adapted to be mounted on a towable, wheeled frame.
Trailers having living accommodations have long been used by touring families or other groups, construction crews and the like. Basically, such trailers have a fixed shell towable by an automobile or truck. When used as living quarters, such trailers contain sleeping, cooking, shower and toilet facilities. The width of these trailers is constrained by highway vehicle width laws. When sufficient interior height is provided for convenience of the travelers, the exterior height is such as to produce considerable drag and wind resistance when towing, increasing fuel consumption. Also, a tall, long and narrow shell when affixed to a trailer undercarriage has considerable sail area, causing swaying and even overturning in high wind conditions. Since these trailers have largely open interiors, there is little privacy for the occupants.
A number of different trailer designs have been developed in attempts to overcome some of these problems, with varying success. Probably the most common way of adding space to a trailer is to provide slide out or tip out rooms, such as is described by Paul in U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,159. These rooms extend into the trailer body during travel and are extended out the side to provide added living space. While often useful, such extended rooms tend to make the existing space more useful, rather than adding significant additional space, can be used only with relatively large trailers and do not address the privacy question.
In order to reduce wind resistance and the impact of side winds during towing a number of vertically telescoping shells mounter on trailer undercarriages have been designed, such as that described by Watson in U.S. Pat. No. 2,990,214. While having a number of advantages during towing, these trailers still are narrow when in use and do not provide private quarters for the occupants.
So called "tent trailers" are very compact while towing, but are expandable by raising a roof and tilting out sleeping platforms. The space between the roof and the base and around the platforms is enclosed in tent material. While very compact, easily towed and generally storable in standard garages, these trailers are not comfortable for use in extreme temperature conditions. Very little interior space is provided and privacy is again a problem. Tent trailers also provide poor security, together with low strength and durability.
Very large "bunkhouse" trailers of the sort described by Barber et al in U.S. Pat. 4,652,041 have been developed for use by construction crews in remote locations or for similar purposes. Some of these have plural slide out rooms to add useful space while extended out but provide the required width for towing when stowed. These provide individual rooms for the occupants. However, these trailers are very large and heavy, requiring large vehicles for towing and the height of these trailers results in considerable wind resistance and sail area when towed.
While each of these prior expandable trailer arrangements have usefulness for specific purposes, none meets all of the problems of providing additional living space and privacy while meeting highway towing size limitations while providing low wind resistance and ease of towing in high winds. Thus, there is a continuing need for improvements in expandable trailers to overcome these problems.